Interview: A 2023 Melbourne Master of Info. Tech Student

📍 About the interviewee

Henry

Bachelor's: National Central University

Major: Information Management

Work experience: Front-end and back-end engineer

Admitted to:

UniMelb - Master of Information Technology

Monash - Master of Information Technology

UNSW - Master of Information Technology

UQ - Master of Business 1. Entrepreneurship and Innovation 2.Advertising

Adelaide - Master of Computing and Innovation

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📍 Why UniMelb IT?

I chose the Master of Information Technology at the University of Melbourne because the program combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills. The coursework covers many areas, from software development, networking and database management to artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

UniMelb has rich academic resources and excellent teaching. Its advanced facilities and resources, including state-of-the-art tech labs and broad industry connections, give our study and research strong support.

The university's international learning environment also gives students the chance to connect and collaborate with classmates from all over the world.

📍 Theory and practice

The academic pressure at UniMelb is relatively high. Courses often combine theory with lots of hands-on projects, so students can apply what they learn in practice. Take my favorite course, “Cluster and Cloud Computing”: it focuses on cloud technology, and you learn how to design, deploy and manage cloud computing resources. It gave me a better understanding of how cloud architecture and distributed systems work, which matters a lot for modern companies' IT infrastructure. Along the way, I also had to work closely with other students to solve problems together, which improved everyone's technical skills and strengthened our teamwork. I encourage everyone to try thinking independently and innovating. The coursework is challenging, but it gave us the chance to learn in depth and grow personally.

📍 Overseas internship

I was lucky enough to get an exchange internship and went to a local company in Vietnam, where I focused on market research. It let me get to know the local business culture and ways of working in depth, which really helped me understand the market characteristics of different countries and regions. The experience broadened my professional knowledge and also gave me valuable hands-on experience in a real work environment.

📍 A rich and varied life

Coming to Australia, what struck me as most novel was the blend of a diverse environment and natural scenery. Melbourne in particular is a vibrant city, with a rich arts, music and coffee culture, and people and food from all kinds of backgrounds.

The abundant street art, historic buildings and green parks here left a deep impression on me. Melbourne's city center is a great place to explore city life, especially along the Yarra River walking paths, where you can take in the city's charming views and energy.

Australia's unique wildlife and vast natural landscapes, such as the Great Barrier Reef and its national parks and other natural areas, are another highlight. Together these create a unique cultural atmosphere that is both amazing and intriguing.

📍 University housing isn't necessarily cheap!

Your housing choice depends on personal preference and budget. UniMelb's on-campus housing offers a more convenient study environment and community interaction, but costs more. Off-campus housing gives you more independence and lifestyle options. Whichever you choose, it's a good idea to research and plan ahead so you find the place that suits you best.

I currently live in UniMelb housing, The Lofts (owned by UniMelb, student apartments just for master's students, in the new Melbourne Connect). It's very close to campus, only a 2-3 minute walk, which saves a lot of commuting time, but it's pricier than other student apartments at about AUD 550/week, and it's a bit of a distance from the city center.

📍 An open and positive mindset

Living and studying abroad often comes with all kinds of challenges, the most common being cultural differences and language barriers.

In Australia, you'll find that the way people interact, the pace of life and even daily habits differ from what you're used to. At first these differences may feel uncomfortable or even lonely. To overcome these challenges, the first thing is to have an open and positive mindset.

Try actively engaging with the new culture and customs, for example by joining local festivals, clubs or interest groups, so you can settle into your new environment faster.

📍 What you need to find a job

When job hunting in Australia, I think good communication skills and teamwork are very important. Because workplaces are quite international, being able to adapt to a multicultural workplace and work effectively with colleagues from different backgrounds is a key trait employers value. Building and maintaining a good network is just as important; connections can provide valuable industry insights and information. By talking with people in the industry, you can get firsthand information about industry trends, job openings and professional development. A good network can also get you referred when you're looking for a job.

📍 Join groups!

I was once part of an engineers' group, and one member landed an ideal job at a well-known IT company. His success was partly thanks to the excellent communication and teamwork skills he built during university. While studying, he actively took part in all kinds of team projects and learned how to divide up work and solve problems as a team. These experiences let him confidently show in interviews how he contributes to a team and works with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds.

📍 A few words for you

If you have the chance to study or work in Australia, I encourage you to take it. There's high-quality education here, and a rich and colorful life too. Here you'll get to meet people from all over the world, broaden your horizons and grow in a multicultural environment. Keep an open mind, explore and learn actively, and it will be an unforgettable experience.

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